“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed…always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (II Corinthians 4:8-10).

Paul is talking about our situation in this age. It is sometimes troubling and as we grow old we realize that life in this age is temporary. HOWEVER, we are not “distressed” when we remember that just as Jesus died and was resurrected to immortal LIFE, so shall we be raised as well.

“this mortal must put on immortality… when this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory…thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore be steadfast…knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:53-58)

“And it came, at His lying back at table in the house…many tribute collectors and sinners, coming, lay back at the table together with Jesus and His disciples. And, perceiving it, the Pharisees said to His disciples - Wherefore is your teacher eating with tribute collectors and sinners?" (Matthew 9:10-11)

Are you more accepted and at home among “tribute collectors and sinners” than with religious leaders?

…so was Jesus!

Read Matthew 9:10-11; Matthew 11:19; Mark 2:15-16; Luke 5:30; Luke 7:34, 39; Luke 15:1-2

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it”. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

God Himself will completely sanctify those who die…their spirt, soul and body…they are "preserved BLAMELESS" at the second coming of Jesus. God is faithful and He will do it.

“Behold, I tell you a mystery…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…the dead will be raised imperishable…then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?...Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:51:58)

Always “be abounding” in “the work of the Lord”, NOT in the work of men or in their religious institutions. The various “toils” that we experience in this life…will NOT be in vain.

”No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

When you look at the Greek words translated “temptation” and “way of escape” above you learn that they could (and should) have been translated “trial” and “sequel”. I personally am convinced this fits the context of the "end of the ages", as well as my personal experience with life. Verse 11 had said about the experiences of Israel in the wilderness…

“...they were written for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)

Mankind has been tried in past ages and is tried in this present age. All trials show us much evil as well as good. The contrast between good and evil is what we are learning about. The trial brings out the facts about mankind’s failure when left to his own will, resources and wisdom. At the end of the trial mankind dies for missing the mark (sin)…and needs a Savior!

And he has one… there is going to be a “SEQUEL” to the present trials of the evil ages. The resurrection where God makes “all things new” and God (not man) is "All in all".

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order…so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

Sometimes I wonder how many Christians actually believe what the Bible teaches. God has promised to save the world. Is that too hard for Him?

“…God our Savior; Who WILL have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV)

How is it that those who claim to believe in Him do not believe what He says? Regardless of what men have taught for 2000 years, I prefer to believe God and hold fast to my hope without wavering.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

Not exactly what I like to talk about, but under the current circumstances going on in the world I thought of these verses this morning:

“...This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog (Russia), chief prince of Meshek and Tubal (Putin?)...in future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel...you will be like a cloud covering the land...This is what will happen...when Gog attacks the land of Israel...I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him...I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 38)

My study of history indicates that “Gog” is modern day Russia. If true, the Bible seems to say that peace in Jerusalem will only come Israel realizes that Jesus is their Messiah. Jesus told them before he ascended to heaven to be seated at the right hand of God...

“Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Luke 13:35)

"Then he said, this is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?" (Luke 12:18-20)

Some Philosophers see mankind as creatures of reason, capable of great things while remaining free. They are correct. But great thinkers, builders and entrepreneurs have this in common with the lazy religious and political folks.....they all think too highly of themselves.

So I have put my trust, not in the ability of free thinking men to accomplish great feats, or religious and political leaders to lead, but in my hope in a real, supernatural, omnipotent creator God...capable of raising me from the dead when mankind is finished screwing everything up.

”Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Speaking to the Jews, Jesus told them…

“I will come again and receive you to myself…” (John 14:3)

As time went by without the return of Jesus some Jewish followers begin to wonder if he would actually come. Peter wrote them and said…

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise… but is longsuffering toward us not willing that any should perish…” (2 Peter 3:9-13)

Peter was reminding them that the fact that Messiah Jesus has not yet returned to established the Kingdom on earth promised to Israel did not mean he had changed His mind, but that God was being patient with Israel. Peter warned them that there would be “scoffers” among them as time went by and Jesus had not returned. Nevertheless, Peter told them that…

“…we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” and that with the Lord “one day is as a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:3-13)

All mankind have the promise from God of the return of Jesus and so should patiently wait for God to complete his plan to save ALL and make everything new…

"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true." (Revelation 21:1-5)

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world...In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ...according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us...according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will..." (Ephesians 1:4-9)

Unfortunately Christianity has made salvation an act of man's free will rather than the will of God. All we can do is come to the knowledge and believe what God has done for us. Some come to the knowledge of His salvation in this life, ALL in the next. Either way it is a time to rejoice and to praise Him for "the glory of His GRACE".

Note above that it is God who makes "known to us the mystery of His will"… and has "predestined" us to be sons. So what is the will of God?

“…God our Savior; Who WILL have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV)

”And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14)

Wouldn’t that be great…or would it?

Ever prayed that your favorite football team would win the game? Well there is someone on the other team praying the same thing. Ever prayed for rain? Well there was probably someone praying it won't rain that day due to something they felt was important. And how about war…we sure want our side to win? Or how about praying for our favorite political party or politician who is going to stand up for what we believe in and want?

Get the picture?

Obviously Jesus did not mean we could ask and get anything we want. Thank goodness! What he did say was anything we ask in prayer that is in agreement with what the Father WILLS and who knows what is in our best interest, we will have it. Ask all you want but God is only going to give you want HE wants. So try praying for what HE wants……like the salvation of ALL…it is His WILL.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL MEN...For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who WILL have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher” (1 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV)

You can’t save anyone…but God can and will save everyone...”in due time”. As for Paul and a few of us now…

“…we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of ALL MEN…” (1 Timothy 4:10 NIV)

The freest of people, the nobelist of people, the most virtuous of people, and those among mankind who reason the best and accomplish the most have one thing in common with the worst of people...they all die...and in time are forgotten. The writer of Ecclesiastes therefore reasoned...

“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

The best that people of this world can do is to enjoy life as best they are able and simply do what they can to be the best they can be...then leave the rest to the Lord.

"Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Romans 3:19).

The whole world is guilty before God… “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” And we are told that “the wages of sin is death”. Thus, all of us will eventually die…no exceptions. But we are assured that the law of sin and death are temporary for…

“The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives…But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the SPIRIT and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7:1, 6)

The law no longer determines mankind’s destiny after death. When we die we will have “died to what we were held by”…our present “flesh” which misses the mark (sins).

“…but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” (Romans 7:14)

HOWEVER, we have been promised deliverance (salvation) from our earthly body to a "spiritual body" of immortality at our resurrection. God has promised to send Jesus to resurrect the dead, at which time we will be changed from earthly to heavenly, from “natural” to “spiritual”.

“How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”…The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body…The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1 Corinthians 15)

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

Under the Law given to Israel to atone for sin a bull or a goat was brought by the sinner as an offering (approach present) to be sacrificed by the priest for “unintentional” sins. However, for “intentional” sins, a perfect “lamb” was to be brought by the sinner to the priest. (Leviticus 4)

These offerings, however, could not “take away sins”.

“Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins” (Hebrews 10;11)

NOTE that the Law of Moses required the “sinner” to bring to the Temple the offering to be sacrificed on his behalf. BUT not anymore does the sinner have to bring to the Temple (or Church) an offering! …God Himself has brought the final offering on behalf of ALL sinners, and this sacrificial LAMB “takes away the sin of the world”… ALL “intentional” sins of the whole world!

“He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) “…he said, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.’ He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we (sinners) have been SANCTIFIED through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (sinners)." (Hebrews 10)

GLORY TO GOD! ALL have been saved in Christ Jesus…by the GRACE of God. It is His gift to sinful mankind!

“So that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the approach present (gift) of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:7-9 CLNT)

"The Gospel of the Kingdom" was preached to Israel until it was blinded for its rejection. That good news is not to be preached again until the time of the second appearing of King Jesus to Israel, when the gospel of the Kingdom will again be preached in all the world to Israel.

For the past 1950 years or so it has been "the Gospel (good news) of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24) that is to be preached to sinners, both of Israel and the Gentile nations. Failure to understand the distinction between the gospel of the Kingdom and the gospel of Grace has caused all of the divisions we see among Christianity. The gospel of grace has nothing to do with the Old and New Covenants between God and Israel.

“I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles…For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED; just as it is written, ‘the Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with THEM, When I take away their sins’… for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.” (Romans 11:13-32)

God has promised to save ALL Israel. And He has promised to save ALL mankind….and that brings a special joy to those who hear and believe what God has promised.

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

Did God save you by His grace, or were you saved by accepting His offer of grace?

Be mindful of how you answer. For that answer will reveal whether you are “boasting”.

”For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

A BELIEVER is a person who has faith LIKE that of Jesus Christ and therefore believes God. A Christian is someone who claims to follow Jesus Christ but may or may not believe what God says...big difference. Both are saved by grace, but only the believer is justified by God.

“Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus...toward the display of His righteousness...for Him to be just and a Justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is debarred!” (Romans 3:24-27)

“And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life…And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” (1 John 2:25; 5:11)

The problem I see with most Christians is the tendency to believe traditional teaching of the denominational church they are attending rather than the simple statements of the Scripture found in the Bible. For instance the Bible reads as follows:

“...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

This clear statement should resolve all doubt about our instruction to teach the eventual salvation of ALL. However, most Christians deny the above clear statement and instead change it to say something like this:

God is “offering” to save all men but only saves those who “accept” Christ by their own “free will” (and add various other works that must be done depending on which church they attend).

They teach this in spite of the fact that not one verse in Scripture can be produced which says God is making an “offer” to save conditioned upon “acceptance” of the offer. Scripture DOES say that eternal life is a “free gift” from God to sinners and that by His “Love” and “Grace” they have been “reconciled” to God by the death of His Son and saved by “faith”, and that their faith is also a “gift” from God, not of works.

“God demonstrates His own LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us… while we were enemies we were RECONCILED to God through the death of His Son…For the wages of sin is death, but the FREE GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord....For by GRACE you have been SAVED through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, not as a result of works...” (Romans 5:8-10; 6:26; Ephesians 2:8-9)

"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40)

Two things we should meditate on in this verse. The first is whether there will be a time when everyone “sees the Son and believes in Him”. The second is what is meant by “last day”. Here are my conclusions after considering all of the Scripture.

First: The Scripture clearly says that there will come a time when everyone will see the Son and believe in Him.

“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

Second: I have concluded that the “last day” is the day in which God’s Plan for the ages is realized. The ages include “time” as we know it and God created for it with a purpose. But there will also be an era in which “time will be no more”… eternity…the goal of God’s purpose in the ages.

“In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him…the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.” (Ephesians 1:8-10)

At the close of the ages ("at the last day") God will have “summed up all things in heaven and earth” in Christ. All will then be saved, justified, reconciled and glorified…and God will be ALL in ALL.

“As in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive…that God may be ALL in ALL” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

This is Good News, and will happen, in my opinion, whether the Christian institutional church, or the various other religions of the world believe it now or not….THEY WILL then…and be glad!

“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…” (Daniel 3:17)

Mankind is inundated with all kinds of myths created by religion to control the masses by fear of what might happen to them if they fail to live up to the various demands of its particular god.

In the above passage in Daniel Nebuchadnezzar considered himself a god and demanded worship with the threat of being cast into the “burning fiery furnace” if worship was refused. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, however, would have nothing of such threats…they knew the one true God, and that He could deliver them from such man-made inventions.

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17)

Wake up and rest in the God who will save you from the wages of sin…death.  He has done so for our Lord Jesus Christ, who has promised to return and resurrect the dead to immortal life…and judge them in righteousness, not in anger.

When we are in possession of the immortal life that follows our resurrection, we will finally understand why evil was necessary in this present evil age. That it was absolutely essential in the wonderful plan of redemption and reconciliation. Until then we can only have faith that good will eventually triumph over evil.

”… in Christ all will be made alive…when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father… For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death…then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

“I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heard my voice” (Jonah 2:6 KJV)

Jonah was delivered out of “hell”. The Hebrew word translated “hell” in the KJV of the Old Testament means the “grave”. But then what?

“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell…there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” (Psalm 16:10; Acts 24:15)

So I guess it is not wrong to say that when good or bad people die they both go to hell (“the grave”) until their resurrection…but both will be delivered out of it.

"As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22)